


Scarred

by carbonaraspaghetti



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dancing, Drunk Dancing, First Times, Gay Panic, Love Confessions, M/M, Olé - Freeform, Past Violence, Spain, cute Zoro, dressrossa - Freeform, everything is very european, feria, sanji never left the vinsmokes, sevilla, zoro belongs to the donquixote family, zoro is from dressrossa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-14 03:07:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29411673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carbonaraspaghetti/pseuds/carbonaraspaghetti
Summary: Under the beautiful sun of Dressrossa, two young souls meet: the prince and the soldier. They can feel they have met before. Their fate is uncertain. They are in the wrong side of the story.
Relationships: Roronoa Zoro/Vinsmoke Sanji
Comments: 4
Kudos: 37





	Scarred

**Author's Note:**

> I honestly don't know what this is. I just wanted to write Zoro and Sanji being very Spanish and it turned out to be a 9k+ fic. Anyways... Just a few aclarations:  
> I used the Timeline of The Library of Ohara for the dates.  
> The fair described is inspired in the Feria de Sevilla. You can look it up, it's super cool. Also, Sevio happens to be a real city in Dressrossa, inspired in Sevilla. And yes: the rebujito gets to your head too easily.  
> English is not my first language, so please excuse me if there are any mistakes :(  
> Thanks to March in the zosan discord server for giving me the squeak idea!
> 
> That's it. Hope you like this story! :)

**January 15th, 1509.**

“My mom died today.”

“Mother died, too.”

Two five-year-old boys dry their tears with the cold seawater, trembling. Alone at the beach, they hold onto each other, although they just met. One wears fancy clothes, now ruined by the dirt; while the other hides in his enormous coat, stolen only the day before, when the only woman he’d ever love was still alive.

“We mustn’t cry. We’re men”, the scarred boy sobs.

“That’s what Father says, but Father’s not a man. Father’s a monster”, the blonde spits, struggling to find the right words in his limited child vocabulary.

“At least you have one.”

That is the only time they speak to each other. Hours later, they are found almost freezing to death, cold hands finding cold hands, trying to feel warmer even if it’s just for a second. Their feet are being bathed by the waves; thankfully, the tide didn’t rise and they have managed to fall asleep almost peacefully, embracing their tiny bodies.

A royal army brings the blonde along. The scarred boy is left at the beach, just like the stray dog he feels he is. He awakens when it all happens, and he secretly wishes they would take him too; anything would be better than the streets.

His tummy roars and he holds back his tears. Maybe he’ll get lucky; today might be the day he finally finds something to eat.

* * *

**November 11th, 1514.**

The sun is always up in the far away land of Dressrosa; the days are bright and its inhabitants are happy. Golden sunlight baths the kids' skin as they run towards the school, grins on their faces and a bag stuffed with books hanging by their shoulders. It’s a prosperous country, indeed; culturally rich and governed by the mighty king Riku Dold.

And yet, why hasn’t Zoro ever felt happiness?

He throws himself at the flower field and sighs deeply, his eye fixated on the blue sky. After a solid minute of inhaling and exhaling, he rises, now sitting down, to look at the busy streets of the city again. He enjoys that certain spot; he’s able to gaze at the main avenue, and, maybe, if the day’s clear enough, dream about how he would also rush to school, sit down with his classmates and learn new things. He knows he isn’t smart, though, but he can’t help but wonder if going to school could change things. How his life would change if he woke up at dawn, kissed his parents and carried his books to class. Instead, he wakes up in the streets, goes to the mine and chips stones for the whole night. He’s been doing that for his ten years of existence.

Oh, right, he turns eleven today.

Zoro opens his eye widely, joyful. It’s his birthday. That means that it’s his free day. No working for today. Just relaxing and enjoying the good weather. Maybe he could go to the beach, or snatch some jelly from the city to invite his friends. Oh, there are so many great things waiting for him today!

He stands up, determined. After wandering for a while, lost in his thoughts, he ducks to pick up some flowers. He’s going to visit Mom's grave first, it’s been a while since he last went to see her.

When he’s grabbing the last sunflower for his bouquet, he realizes that his eye is closing by himself, that his limbs hurt and his lungs are failing him. Although he tries his best to be the strongest, he’s still far from being able to work for nine hours without feeling like dying afterwards. He collapses on the floor again, and, while he’s still awake, he promises himself to wake up at noon, to have a great birthday day and to visit Mom before midnight.

  
  


The sun is setting when Zoro wakes up, hyperventilating. He tries to grab the wooden sword he always brings along, but he can’t find it. Scared, his eye scrutinizes his surroundings, until he finds out that he’s at the cemetery.

“Don’t worry, dumbass, I’m here.”

Zoro turns around to face a certain redhead, who’s smirking, handing him his wooden weapon. He breathes, relieved; it’s Eustass, his best friend, a thirteen year old boy who's also from the streets. They’re strong; always together when they’re not working. They even look similar: Kid is wearing the same loose brown tee, old and holey, and some black pants that used to fit, but now are too small for his long legs. Zoro will probably inherit them.

“I found you at the flower hill.”

“Yeah.”

“It’s your birthday, right?”

“It is. Did you bring me here?”

“Yep”, Kid smiles. “I figured you wanted to spend some time with your momma.”

Zoro nods. Every special date, he comes to the graveyard to pay respects to the woman he can hardly remember now. He often fantasizes about a normal life, with his beautiful mother, living in a normal house and eating the delicious food he smells every day. But that can’t happen to a poor boy like him; he accepted the truth a long time ago.

The young kid places his forehead on the grave. He doesn’t know how to pray (and doesn’t really believe in a God), but he supposes that that’s a good way to let his mother know he still loves her.

“I got you a present.”

“Really?”, Zoro's face lightens up, but then he raises an eyebrow, smirking. “That’s so lame.”

“Don’t be a shithead. Check this out”, Kid gets a small packet out of his pocket.

The redhead takes a painfully long time to reveal what’s inside, unfolding it slowly until it’s completely open, teasing his friend. Zoro is breathless; he can’t believe what he is just witnessing.

“No shit”, his mouth is watering.

Kid's hands are full of serrano ham. It’s a delicacy only eaten at national parties; they could never even dream of smelling it. It’s almost like a myth, and so it seems like an illusion in real life.

“How did you…?”

“I snuck into the King's Castle yesterday.”

“What?”, the younger gasps, unbelieving.

“It’s crazy up there, man. They’re so busy that their security is basically gone. There’s a weird guy who wants to kill Riku. Not that I care. Anyways, I ran to the kitchen and snatched this. I could’ve brought more, but some stupid chef caught me.”

Zoro doesn’t wait for him to end his tale. He grabs his portion and stuffs his mouth, the salty taste of the fine slices of pork dancing through his senses as if they were guitar chords. It’s been long since he felt that happy.

“You have to taste it slowly, dumbass. You’re wasting it that way. Here, eat it all.”

“You not eating?”

“Already did”, Kid smiles.

Frantically, Zoro grabs the food left in his friend's hand and fills up his mouth, sighing with pleasure.

“Do you think we could sneak into the castle today, too?”

“Are you nuts?”, the redhead chuckles.

“I’m fucking hungry and those royal idiots must have a stock full of tasty food”, Zoro replies, still scrunching. “C’mon, it’s my birthday.”

“No, no, I already risked my life for you once. Not doing it again.”

“You’re hungry too, dumbass. If you’re not coming, I’m going by myself.”

The green-haired stands up, grabbing his wooden sword and walking confidently. Kid takes a deep breath, regretting his life choices, and stops him.

“It's the other way around, you brainless idiot.”

  
  


The island is lit up although it’s almost midnight, now not because of the sun, but due to the frightening red flames. King Riku is burning the country, killing its inhabitants; toys are being introduced in the port town of Acacia while people mysteriously lose their memories. It’s one of the saddest days in the whole history of Dressrosa.

And it’s one of the happiest days in Kid and Zoro's lives. Their biggest wish has been fulfilled: they can eat until they pass out. The palace’s kitchen is packed with delicious food, melting in their mouths, making them cry out of happiness. For two street boys who hardly eat anything other than bread, this is a brand new experience that won’t happen twice. Juicy meat, sweet fruits, tasty chocolate, all kinds of fish; everything is stuffed in their cheeks, tastes mixing in a particular way that send shivers down their spines and-

“Who the hell are you?”

It's a teenage voice. Their hearts jump, but their hands don’t let go of the food. Still sitting, they turn their heads around, looking up to face a tall raven boy, a little older than them, yellow bright eyes nailing down their own orbits, panda-themed clothes staining his mean appearance. He’s not like them; he’s well-fed and extremely intelligent. In the silence of the room, the beating of two pounding hearts becomes the only hearable sound.

Breathing heavily, Zoro fears death (not for the first time in his life); when he tries to reach for his wooden sword, he finds out that his hand is gone. It’s been separated from his body. He trembles, shocked. He’s just lost a hand and it doesn’t even hurt, but his chest feels like it’s going to explode. Slowly, he gazes up, his mouth mumbling some nonsense while his insides fill with rage. The raven boy is smirking.

A second before he stands up to crush the teenager, he witnesses his best friend rushing towards him, grabbing a knife in the way, crazy speed for a thirteen-year-old child. Eyes bright red, Kid holds the raven by the neck, the blade of the knife cold on the older's skin.

“Don’t tell me you fucking chopped his hand. Don’t fucking tell me.”

The unknown boy manages to smirk once again, blood-thirsty.

“What if I did?”

“Law!”, a scream sounds throughout the kitchen.

A blonde man appears in the dark, clown makeup decorating his face. He looks concerned; overpowering Kid, he grabs the raven teenager closer and opens his eyes, staring at the other two boys.

“Law, put the poor child’s hand back.”

Zoro notices that his blood is suddenly flowing the right way; that he can move his fingers without hesitation. His eye goes up, to stare at the adult’s surprised ones.

“I know what happened”, Kid says. “I know what you did.”

Zoro raises his eyebrows, still dizzy.

“I know that you killed people”, Eustass continues. “I heard the Warlord’s conversation with King Riku.”

The blond man and the raven boy are speechless.

“But we don’t have a family to miss”, Kid explains. “And we’re strong. You shouldn’t kill us.”

Dumbfounded, Zoro realizes that he could’ve lost his life at any moment. Amongst the silence, a little sound serves as a thank you to his best friend, for being smart enough to find a way to get them out of that situation alive.

“I wasn’t going to kill you. Just don’t make a fuss”, the man whispers. “And Law, for God’s sake, put his damn hand back on.”

“Cora-san, use your devil fruit powers.”

“Oh, right”, Corazon slaps his own forehead. Somehow, their surroundings become a shade of purple. “Now you can talk if you want; no one’s going to hear you.”

In the middle of the chaos, Zoro gazes down to realize that his hand is back in his place. His heart rate has decreased to normal and his vision isn’t blurry anymore. His hearing seems off, though, as if he were inside some kind of bubble. Confused, he stands up and walks a few steps towards his friend. His tummy roars; snorting, Zoro takes the food he was keeping on his hand, and puts it all in his mouth, swallowing without even chewing it. A step more and he's next to Kid, who's staring at him as if he has seen a ghost.

"My God…", Corazon whispers.

"You know", Law manages to catch the scarred boy before he falls to the ground, "you can't fill your stomach like that when you haven't eaten anything for days."

He wishes he could eat more; his whole life he's been starving and now there's so much yummy food he could taste… With those thoughts in his mind, his eye shuts and he falls apart, strangely more than satisfied with his eleventh birthday.

* * *

**March 2nd, 1522.**

It smells like steel, sweat and dewdrops. The spring is near and, with it, the best season in the country of Dressrosa. The sound of swords clashing, early in the morning, symbolizes the true beginning of the new year; the sun has come back, the temperature's nice and the royal guards have started to train in the palace garden again. 

Girls from all over the city peek over the walls of the New Royal Plateau, eyes melting with the sight.

"Corazon's royal guards are the best thing that ever happened to this country", one of them says. "I'm so in love with Eustass… I wish he didn't ignore me."

"He's such a womanizer", the other sighs, heart eyes on her face. "Trafalgar Law is a good guy, though. He's so mysterious and smart…"

"C'mon, Law is super old! Roronoa Zoro is better-looking; plus, he's almost our age", a third one determines.

"Ooh, don't you know? Roronoa swings the other w-"

"Hey, hey, shut up! They're looking at us."

The three men wave at them, smirking. Kid whistles, sending a kiss to the brunette one, which she pretends to take, smiling. Zoro shakes his head, chuckling.

"You have her wrapped around your fatass finger", he says, firm grip on his sword. "Who was she again?"

"I can't remember her name. Rosa, maybe? Anyways, we fucked once. T'was nice."

“I truly hope you end up severely stabbed”, his friend chuckles.

Law scoffs and gets back to his training, his katana clashing with Zoro in a wild dance. The raven is quicker, but the scarred's technique is sharper. Eustass runs towards another royal guard and starts fighting him, too. They could spend hours like that. Being strong was what got them out of the streets, and violence was their hobby now. Feared by the five seas, Doflamingo's royal guards were faithful and trustworthy.

Pressure gets to their nerves, too. They have to fight incredibly strong enemies every once in a while, so they must always focus on their work. Specially today…

A loud alarm rings all over the palace, stopping the guards' training.

"They're here."

Soon, the Commanders (Diamante, Pica, Trebol and Corazon) are aligned at the entrance of the Royal Palace, with each division of the Royal guards behind them. Doflamingo is right at the middle, smiling while the trumpets echo in the whole city.

The way the royal family from the Germa Kingdom enter the palace is majestic. Carried by an enormous carriage and followed by an army of a thousand people, the Vinsmokes salute the townspeople while they put their feet on land, escorted by men that certainly look like they’ve been cloned. First comes the King himself, Judge Vinsmoke, gigantic, who walks steadily and shakes Doflamingo’s hand with efusivity.

It’s an important day, indeed. The Germa Kingdom used to be in great amity with King Riku Dold; but, ever since the Queen died, they hadn’t come back to Dressrosa. Now that the Donquixote Family was in charge of the country, Judge had been maintaining a good relationship with the warlord. They had agreed to make an alliance, as kingdoms that were now independent from the World Government. However, Germa 66 was known for their evil betrayals, therefore Doflamingo had planned something to make sure that it wasn’t a trap. He had invited the Vinsmokes to stay in the country for the spring (the most beautiful season in Dressrosa), watched over by some guards and a few strategically placed Den-Den Mushis.

A beautiful girl gets out of the carriage, gracefully walking towards her father. She goes by the name of Reiju, spiralled eyebrows and a glossy pink hair making her face perfect. Eustass can’t take his eyes off her lips, forgetting about the rest of her brothers, who are now a few steps closer to him: a blue-haired one and a redhead, their royal manners showing in the disgusting way they look at people.

And then, the third son of the Vinsmoke family comes. He’s completely different from his brothers; silklike blonde hair, ocean blue eyes and a defenceless look, his body so slim it’s almost fragile, and yet he’s got that killing look that would scare the toughest fighter. He walks and soon everything else disappears; Zoro is mesmerized. He even forgets about the younger brother, his green hair strangely similar to his own. Behind Eustass, he stands on his tiptoes, trying to catch a glimpse of the Vinsmoke brother over his huge friend.

“Yo, Kid, move aside.”

“What, you like the blondie?”

“Shut the fuck up.”

Zoro knows the prince. He does. He’s sure. He doesn’t know why, when or how, but he’s met him in a very important moment of his life. He just can’t recall it, but he… He knows.

“Are they staying at our palace?”

“Just for today. They’ll move to the royal castle in Sevio tomorrow”, Kid answers.

“Alright”, Zoro determines. “Today’s the day then.”

  
  


It’s almost impossible to reach Doflamingo today. He’s reunited with Judge all of the time, surrounded by an impassable army. When Zoro attempts to find the siblings, he notices that they have disappeared in their rooms, each one of them guarded by at least five of those weird Germa guards. In regular circumstances, the swordsman would crush them all, but he doesn’t want to start a civil war, so he resigns. Plus, he’s not sure of where he is. He can’t find his way back to his room; have they distributed the palace differently?

“You idiot...”

He turns around to face a smirking Eustass, yellow eyes staring at him with a mix of pity and amusement.

“Did you get lost again?”

“Fuck you.”

The redhead takes him to the dining hall and makes him sit down and wait. He doesn’t let him talk. Zoro just stares at his friend, his hands hidden in his back, his scary browless eyes contrasting with his dumb grin.

“Consider yourself lucky”, he says, and reveals what he’s been hiding: a small plate with a cake and a big bottle of wine. “I snatched it from those royal idiots.”

Zoro hasn’t starved since he’s in the Donquixote Family. He’s got enough allowance to buy those things for himself. However, he still appreciates it when they hold onto their old traditions, still stuffing their mouths with tasty food whenever they have the opportunity, stealing goods from the wealthy and keeping it for themselves like a treasure.

The cake is gone in a few seconds and the booze is in their stomachs sooner than it should. They should be working by now; and here they are, escaping from their job to gossip and get some alcohol in their veins.

“That Reiju is a bitch”, Kid talks. “Thinks that she’s better than me? Highly doubt it, girl.”

“I’m glad that she rejected you. It was time”, Zoro smiles.

“Yeah, yeah, anyway. Did you find your little twink? Looks like it’s his birthday, they’re quadruplets. I stole the cake from that green-haired idiot. Kinda looks like you.”

Zoro scoffs, swallowing the last sip of the wine. “How old are they turning?”, he asks.

“Nineteen. They’re some months older than you”, it’s not Kid’s voice, but Law’s, who’s entering the dining hall through its enormous crystal door, the one that leads to the yard. “Why are you so interested in them?”

“I’m not, actually”, the scarred admits. “I just feel like I’ve met the blonde one before, so I was trying to find him, but it’s fucking impossible.”

“You mean Sanji?”

Sanji. Sanji Vinsmoke. That’s his name, as his friend announces. Oh, it sounds so smooth, so beautiful.

“I could get him to you”, Law says. “We would have to make a plan, though, as we have little time and they’re overly protected. And you’re just a commoner; he’s a prince”, it seems like he’s thinking really hard. “We could sneak in their rooms at night, knock out a few guards without no one noticing, and then…”

“Oh, he’s there with Corazon”, Kid notices.

It takes Zoro a while to fully understand his friend’s words.

“Your plans always fail, Law”, the redhead chuckles.

“What do you mean  _ he’s there _ ?”

“There, right behind Law, look.”

Throughout the big glass door, two blonde heads can be seen, talking to each other. The tall one’s coat is on fire, as always; the younger blonde laughs at him while puffing at his cigarette, amused.

Zoro doesn’t know why, but he’s frozen. A few seconds go by until he manages to stand up and walk unsteadily towards the two slim figures, still confused.

“Oh, Zoro, what’s up?”, Corazon asks, attempting to extinguish the fire.

Sanji looks at him, and Zoro’s world falls apart. His whole body feels shaky. How does he know that guy? It’s killing him.

“What are you staring at? Want a cigarette or what?”, the prince asks. “Oh, you have cream on your lips… Wait, did you eat cake?”

The scarred hesitates; he might get scolded by Corazon. Plus, he doesn’t think he is able to pronounce a single word right now.

“I did”, he finally says.

Sanji’s face suddenly lights up. “Really? I cooked it! Was it good?”

“Yeah, tasty. Uh… Are you really the prince? Like… Shouldn’t you have like a thousand bodyguards surrounding you?”

“Oh, you’re right”, the blonde smiles. “Guess I should be leaving now. Well, see you!”

He throws his cigarette to the grass and gracefully jumps, his feet leaving the ground and walking in the sky. Zoro has seen the weirdest things: people who fly, who can turn into animals or to cover his whole body with stone. However, he’s pretty sure that he’s never seen anyone being able to  _ walk _ in the sky.

He feels like he has just witnessed the presence of an angel.

* * *

**March 4th, 1522.**

Three knocks in his door and he’s suddenly awake. His eye opens to glare at Baby 5, whose hand comes near him to stroke his hair lovingly. He lets her, sighing.

“I haven’t seen you this sick since you came here, all skinny and shy.”

Zoro grunts and shrinks in the bed. He’s not really sick; he’s just surprisingly good at faking it.

“I brought you some breakfast”, Baby says, smirking, and she hands him the finest bottle of sake.

“That’s my sister.”

She giggles and sits by the bed with him, humming a peaceful song. “It’s weird not seeing you with a sword in your hand.”

“Which Vinsmoke did you sleep with?”, Zoro changes the topic, swallowing a good amount of booze.

“How did you know…?”, Baby blushes. “Well… With the green one.”

“Ew. He looks like me.”

“Oh, true. Yuck.”

Zoro sighs and turns around, facing the wall. He’s relieved; at least she didn’t share a bed with the blonde sibling. “What happened with them?”

“The Vinsmokes?”

“Yeah.”

He hadn’t been able to find Sanji after their brief encounter. The prince had disappeared without leaving a trace, leaving him confused and speechless.

“They’re in Sevio. Why?”

“Nothing”; Zoro knows where they are. He just felt like asking, maybe things would change if he said things out loud. “Can you leave now?”

“Sure”, she kisses his cheek, although he averts her. “Call me if you need anything.”

He grunts while watching Baby leave. His sickness is false, but he had been serving that corrupt country for years. A day of absence wouldn’t make that much of a difference.

* * *

**April 18th, 1522.**

"Just like they say in the East,  _ love is always a hurricane _ ."

Zoro chuckles, shaking his head with every word Eustass pronounces. With a sign, he asks for two more jars of  _ rebujito _ , his elbows on the bar.

"I doubt you've ever felt love", he smiles.

"I'm telling ya, it's my best pickup line. Girls fall head-over-heels for me when I whisper that to her ears. Dunno why... Hey, are you even listening?"

The swordsman nods absentmindedly. “Seems like the waiter is blind, ‘cause he can’t see us. And we’re not precisely discrete.”

Kid scoffs, yawning. “Should I kick his ass?”

“We’re not looking for trouble”, Zoro sighs and turns around to lean on the counter. Around him, people agglomerate between the bar and the tables, bringing tasty food and cheap alcohol within their hands.

At one corner of the place, Law sits with his legs spread, losing the manners he never forgets; he’s never been able to hold his alcohol too well. Two jars and he becomes a cocky bastard, as Zoro likes to say. The raven's face is lightened up with the polka dots that fight the sun, fancy fabric covering the top of the tent. It’s the Doflamingo Family’s  _ caseta _ , the biggest and most expensive out of the whole Feria. Although they’re top commanders, they’re surrounded by the wealthiest, most important people of the country. It’s normal that the waiter ignores them to serve some other big shot. It makes Law angry. Zoro eyes him, begging with his eyes; and, suddenly, with a turn of the raven’s hand, four bottles of white wine appear on his tattooed hands.

“Problem solved”, the redhead smiles.

They both walk towards their family. Law, Baby 5 and Dellinger wait for them, sitting in an unmannered way, all dressed with fancy clothes. Baby is wearing a flamenco dress, although she’s ignoring Violet’s invitations; she’s not much of a dancer. Her eyes are fixated on the streets behind them, on a beautiful errand boy who just happens to pass by.

“We can’t rely on you dumbfucks”, Law says.

“You know we don’t mind snatching things”, Zoro sits down between Baby and Dellinger, facing the crowd. “Don’t worry, Cora-san didn’t see you. His face is already red; his alcohol endurance is even worse than yours.”

Kid takes a bottle away from Trafalgar and pours the alcohol in his huge, used jar. “Man, this is the best season. It’s not too hot, we can party for an entire week and everyone’s too drunk to care about what we do”, he swallows a good amount of wine and burps. “It’ll get even better when we get promoted. We’ll be able to sit at the Royal table and the waiter won’t ignore us.”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re right”, Dellinger admits. “Check that out. The waiter’s practically drooling while talking to those Germa fuckers.”

Zoro’s heart skips. Is it possible that he hadn't noticed earlier? His eye travels among the hundreds of people who accumulate in that limited space. The first one he sees is that enormous father those siblings have, always serious while wearing those naff, old-fashioned attires. Then, he notices a blue and a green head, both bickering about something; they’re almost spitting on each other. The redhead brother is trying to pick up on a young girl, but it looks like he’ll definitely get rejected. By the bar, the pink-haired girl. She’s stunning; also wearing a flamenco dress that looks foreign on her, but accentuates her curves sensually. If he liked women, Zoro believes his type would be something resembling that. She thanks the waiter politely (seems like she’s the only non-disgusting Vinsmoke) and grabs the two jars she’s ordered. Ignoring the rest of her family, she avoids people skillfully and brings herself next to a certain blonde man.

And the rest of the world disappears.

Sanji Vinsmoke is dancing, a wide grin lightening his face up. His clothes seem too small for his muscular body and, although he looks slim overall, that tight, unbuttoned red shirt accentuates his abs and those black pants leave little to nothing to the imagination.

“I would let him do me the way he wanted”, Zoro hears a voice whispering in his ear and it sends shivers down his spine.

“Fuck you, Dellinger”, he says.

“Don’t tell me you wouldn’t”, the blonde kid remarks, laughing.

It’s not a secret that Zoro has always been into men. However, he hates it when people say it out loud. It makes him feel like he’s doing something wrong. Like he’s vulnerable; not for being gay, but for having a sweet spot for certain people.

Sanji seems to be one of them.

“Do you want me to call him?”, Baby whispers, and Zoro wonders if he’s that insanely obvious.

“He wouldn’t ever like him”, Dellinger admits, gaining a killing stare from the scarred guy. “Look at his neck.”

While Kid and Law discuss something, clueless about the other conversation that's going on, the other three members of the Donquixote family narrow their vision to stare at Sanji's neck. Hiding behind his blazer, lipstick marks cover his pale skin.

"Maybe he got a girlfriend in the month he's been here", Dellinger gossips.

"He's certainly the most attractive out of the four of them", Baby whispers.

"Seems more like a womanizer to me", with a husky voice, Zoro talks, bringing the jar to his lips. "Well, nevermind. There are plenty more fish in the sea", but he's angry for some reason.

"Oh, shit, isn't he coming here?"

"What?"

"My God. He is."

"No, he's going to Mingo's table", Dellinger giggles. "You were already nervous, weren't you, Roronoa?"

"No, no, he's really coming here", Baby shakes. "Does he need me?"

"No, he doesn't fucking need you", Zoro sighs. "Please, behave like normal people or I'll crush you both."

Dellinger's giggles stuck in his head while he tries to look handsome. He doesn't really know how to flirt; he's usually the one people try to get in their beds.

The prince is stunning. He walks in a Royal way, the cigarette placed between his lips like a work of art. Well-mannered, classy, soft hair, a casual five-o-clock shadow that accentuates his attractiveness. Manly, although his hips balance with every step he takes. Breathtaking.

Before Zoro can even realize it, he is staring at those deep blue eyes. But Sanji isn't looking back. He is actually facing Eustass.

"You, redhead."

It's weird for a prince to talk in such a rude tone, but they won't be the ones to question it.

"Uh…", Kid turns around, non-existent eyebrows furred in a twitched expression. "Do you guys know this twink?"

All Zoro can think about is the smell of tobacco and flowers and the beautiful, thin hands that the blonde keeps swinging around.

"My sister wants to see you."

And Eustass's face changes. His eyes brighten, his mouth curves on a huge grin. "See? I'm irresistible."

The redhead stands up, much taller than Sanji. However, before he can even start to walk away, the prince grabs him by the collar of his shirt. Both Law and Zoro grip their swords, getting tense all of a sudden.

"Relax, gentlemen", Sanji says, and then faces Kid: "I'm not looking for trouble, but if you hurt her, you die. Understood?"

"Wow, look at this princess", Kid laughs out loud, attracting the attention of the Donquixote table. "You think you're better 'cause of your royal blood? Fuck off, man", and he spits on the prince's face, chuckling. He raises his middle finger to Doflamingo and walks towards Vinsmoke Reiju, full of himself. He knows he will get scolded, but he enjoys putting on a show.

Zoro stays still, hand firm on the hilt of his sword. Although Sanji has been unreasonably sharp, he's always liked it when people stand against the monster he has for a friend. He would really like to talk to the prince, who is taking the spit off his face, disgusted.

_ How did you start a conversation? _ , he wonders. And, between all the words he could've possibly chosen, he pronounces the worst ones.

"Are you going to stand there looking like an asshole forever?"

_ Why the fuck did I say that? Am I fucking stupid? _

Dellinger and Baby 5 would've liked to slap their foreheads so hard that the whole fair would've heard it.

"You know, our families are trying to have a good relationship", Sanji smirks. "You ain't exactly making it easy."

Zoro can feel Doflamingo's piercing eyes staring at everything he does. Followed by a heavy silence, Dellinger is the first one to talk.

"Why don't you sit here with us?"

Surprisingly, Sanji steals Kid's seat immediately and sits in a classy way, lighting up another cigarette. He's so fast in joining them that the rest of the group hesitate, wondering what to do next.

"Missy", the prince breaks the silence, confident. He takes Baby's hand and gives it a gentle kiss, blue eyes shining, enlightened by the light that comes from the caseta's dotted fabric. "I've been told that you had a brief romance with my youngest brother. I'm truly sorry that you had to go through such a horrifying experience.”

“Oh, no, he was actually pretty good at it”, Baby smiles politely, but, with the sudden change in the blonde’s expression, she quickly adds: “But if you need me to say he was horrifying, I will.”

“Vinsmoke-ya”, Law speaks in an authoritarian way, interrupting the girl. “I was going to ask you if you wanted us to call your brothers, but it seems like your relationship isn’t great, is it?”

Sanji takes a few seconds to answer; he tries to find the best words, although his mind goes blank.

“Let’s stop talking about this damn curly brows", that’s Zoro’s attempt to make things better, but he actually earns a killing look from the prince.

Damn, he can’t seem to get things right today. 

When they are about to start bickering, the loud music of a guitar interrupts their thoughts. Shoes tapping the floor make a danceable rhythm, a beat that every Dressrosa citizen can follow by clapping their hands. The Vinsmoke family stand still, each one of them in a different place of the tent, confused. In an improvised stage, a man starts to sing; more like singing, he’s screaming his heart out, filled with passion.

“Violet looks stunning”, Baby sighs, jealous of her natural movements; she’s dancing between all the musicians, every eye watching her. 

Zoro takes a huge sip of his drink and stares at Sanji, who is drooling at the sight. Anger starts to fill him up;  _ doesn’t he realize the way Mingo looks at her? _ , he thinks. He wonders if the blonde gets laid frequently. That’s a dumb question, though; how could he not get laid? He’s wealthy, attractive and presumably smart.

He’s tired. He doesn’t really enjoy flamenco music, anyway; and Dellinger’s giggling always gets on his nerves. He storms off on a whim, heading towards some other caseta where he didn’t have to pretend to be a good kid in front of the  _ Young Master _ .

He wanders through the streets of the fair, colored tents surrounding him, people at the entrances staring at him for being a famous royal guard.

"Where are you heading?"

There it is. That annoying voice again.

"Fuck off, Mr. Prince."

"Come on, I don't wanna be with your friends. The goth scares me and the blonde one is unstandable. Baby is lovely, but the fact that she slept with my brother gives me chills."

"Go back to your brothers then", the scarred starts walking faster.

"Are you deaf or something? I don’t fucking want to go back to my brothers.”

Zoro stops in his tracks, turning around and making Sanji bump into him immediately. The close distance between them makes his heart flutter; he’s slightly taller, and definitely bulkier. However, the prince definitely has a presence difficult to ignore.

“I want to eat something typical”, Sanji whines in an adorable way. “Germa has their own chefs, so I never get to eat food from the different countries we visit. I managed to weasel out of being with my family, so take me somewhere nice. I'm asking you politely; it won't ever happen again.”

When Zoro is about to talk back to him, his stomach betrays him and roars so loud that it can be heard among the noises of the fair.

“Aight”, he says. “Follow me.”

It’s a small tent, full of townspeople and very much unlike every other place Sanji goes to on his royal trips. It's not exactly dirty or vulgar, it's just… Shabby. Boys and girls around his age surround him, a perpetual smile on their faces. He's used to people staring at him, but, right now, everyone is minding their own business. He's lighting up a cigarette when Zoro arrives from the bar with two huge plastic jars.

"I wanted red wine. What's this?"

"Rebujito", the scarred answers. "White wine with soda. Gets to your head really easy. S' fun."

"... Okay", Sanji chuckles. "So… Tell me."

"Tell you what?"

"Geez, you're dense. Tell me about yourself, I don't know. Had I known you were so boring, I would've stayed with the lovely Baby."

Zoro stays silent for a few seconds. His head hurts; memories go back to his mind, but he can't recover them.

_ Where the hell have I met him? _

"For example… how did you become a Donquixote family member?"

"I would have to reveal the secret of this country to tell you that", Zoro smirks. Sanji pouts, and he sighs. "Well… Kid and I were stray kids. Mingo's brother, Corazon, helped us. We eventually became apprentices, just like Law or Baby. And… That's about it."

Sanji nods, interested. When he's about to ask another question, a green-haired pierced guy appears behind Zoro.

"Bart!", the scarred exclaims, grinning.

"Wassup!", he's got at least ten plates of food between his arms. "Brought ya what ya asked for. Yo, who's this guy?"

"He's a Vinsmoke brother."

"Oh. Cool."

Of all the reactions Sanji's gotten when being introduced, this must be the weirdest.

"Don't forget to leave a good tip!"

The waiter leaves making exaggerated gestures, flushing. The prince notices the (huge) crush he's got on the swordsman.

"Before you ask", Zoro says, stuffing his mouth with a full-size steak baguette, unmannered, "Kid and I kept our friendships from when we were stray kids. That's Bartolomeo. He lives in a shitty house with three more people. Hell, most of the people in this caseta live or have lived in the streets."

"They seem pretty wealthy to me."

"The thing is", Zoro continues, "this week is the only good week in this country. Mingo couldn't kill this tradition. The government pays for everything, the prices are cheap, everyone can come and have fun, wear fancy clothes and mix between the rich people. Poor and wealthy are the same in the Fair. I mean… Most people here are from the streets, but I'm pretty sure there's also a few people from the capital who came here to try the food, 'cause, I swear, this cook's the best in the whole country."

"Bartolomeo?"

"No, no, he's just the waiter… Yo, why aren't you eating?", Zoro talks with his mouth full, swallows like a brute and takes a huge sip of his drink.

Sanji is about to excuse himself, saying that it's miseducated to eat while speaking; however, he notices the swordsman's manners and just giggles silently, taking a small bite.

"It's delicious."

"Told ya", Zoro smiles and, for the first time since the prince met him, he looks truly cute.

"You know", Sanji sighs, "I always wanted to become a chef."

"Then do."

"I wish. But I've got duties in my family. Things to take care of."

"Do you?", Zoro asks absentmindedly and Sanji raises an eyebrow.

_ Do I? _ , he wonders.

They eat happily, Zoro talking much more once he starts feeling at ease. He speaks about swords, his work, his friends and the way he likes to get drunk. Sanji listens, sometimes forgetting that his brothers will come and search for him at any given moment. The food is great; so many different flavors that splash into his mouth, making him unable to remember which was which. It really must be the best cook in the country.

Alcohol also gets its way to their heads easily, not getting them wasted but making them more light-headed, waving happily and talking more and more, sharing life-threatening experiences and funny anecdotes.

It doesn't take long until they run out of food and drinks, and they're so full that they feel the urge to move.

"So", Sanji sits in a bad posture, lighting up a cigarette. "Wanna dance?"

"Huh?", Zoro cleans his teeth with a little wooden stick, confused.

"Violet teached me. That  _ flamingo  _ thing."

The swordsman wonders if Viola is the one who left a mark in the prince's neck. "I have no rhythm", he spits. "Plus, it's  _ flamenco _ ."

"Whatever. C'mon, I'll show you. I'm pretty good", Sanji answers, standing up and grabbing Zoro by the arm. "You'll be the woman."

"Shut the fuck up!"

"We need someone to take the girl's place for this dance and I won't be the one to do it" the blonde chuckles at the scarred's blushed cheeks.

Zoro snorts, holding back on his seat. He eyes a certain figure approaching them shyly: Rebecca. Doflamingo lets her reunite with Viola only a week per year, in the Fair, always keeping an eye on her. She won't ever escape, though; it's impossible for her to defeat the royal guards all alone. He feels guilty every time he thinks about all the unfair things he lets go.

Rebecca waves her hand and introduces herself to Sanji. He practically drools while talking to her; Zoro sighs, tired.

"Seems like someone else wants to be my  _ princess _ ", the blonde kisses her hand and takes a bow. "May I have this dance? I'm confident in my  _ flamenco _ skills. Did I say it right?"

"Actually, I wanted to talk to Roronoa about something…"

"I already told you, Rebecca. No can do", he interrupts her. "Don't ask me anymore."

"Don't be rude!", Sanji scolds him, but brings the girl closer to him, whispering: "Let's dance. Don't worry about this silly guy, I'll bring your mood up."

Maybe in another life, they would've asked her, fought for her. They know they are on the wrong side of the story.

Maybe someday...

Zoro bites his lip, eaten away by his own guilt. He looks at Rebecca, who could be living the happiest life, in the greatest country, in the biggest Palace; instead of being satisfied with the terrible life she's got now.

She's only sixteen, and she's astonishing. Sanji and her would make a great couple, he realizes, finishing his drink while eyeing them.

Eyeing Sanji.

He touches her gracefully, as if she were made of crystal. Moves at her compass, with a great rhythm. He looks natural; like he had been born in Dressrosa. He's an obvious flirt, though; but Rebecca seems comfortable.

Her eyes will always look sad whatsoever.

Zoro shakes his head and stands up quickly. He asks (shouts) Bartolomeo for more  _ rebujitos _ .

"What's your routine? You guys drink, then eat, then what?", he can hear Sanji's voice behind him.

"Weren't you dancing?", Zoro turns around, consciously hitting the prince and trying to pour some alcohol in his shirt in the process. 

"We've been dancing for three songs now. She needed to leave", the prince avoids him, giggling. "Did you like it?"

"Huh?"

"My dancing."

"I had to leave. Your eyebrows were moving too much, it made me dizzy."

Sanji scoffs, but the smile never fades away. Zoro wonders if it's because of Rebecca or because of him.

"Answering to your question, uh...", the swordsman looks away, shy. "We go to the drinking zone and drink more."

"Isn't this the drinking zone already?", Sanji chuckles.

"No, there's a plain field near here where youngsters like us reunite to drink", Zoro explains, yawning. "But we can do something else, if you want."

"What are the options?"

The scarred thinks for a bit before finally coming up with something. "There's an amusement park that only opens on fair week. It's pretty cool. I loved it when I was little, but I haven't been there ever since. You might find it lame, though, but…"

"No, no, it's fine!", Sanji smiles. "Let's go."

  
  


When they arrive, the sun has already set and the tungsten lights illuminate the place, making it neon colored. The park is a place both for kids and teenagers, with many attractions aimed for children and a few high risk ones. The horses that usually go around the fair are standing in a run, along with ponies that can be ridden by babies. It's such a different place from the rest of the fair; there are mostly families and groups of teens who feel too old to be there, but too young to be drinking like the adults are.

All eyes are on them; but not because one is a Vinsmoke, but because the other is a Royal Guard. In fact, nobody seems to notice the prince.

"Zoro! Come ride the merry-go-round with us!", a group of young girls approach them and Sanji's heart flutters.

"Who might you be, you lovely ladies? May I be graced with your company?"

"Thanks, but we're going to some other place", Zoro grunts, unmannered, grabbing Sanji by the arm and walking away.

The prince looks at the swordsman angrily, pouting. “Why did you do that? I love ladies.”

“Thought you had enough already”, Zoro says, pointing at the blonde’s neck, still with a trace of crimson lipstick. He pushes him against the tall wall of one of the fairground attractions, both of them ending up in a limited space, between two barriers, everything dark and noisy. “Anyways, I don’t. I don’t understand why they don’t fucking get it.”

“You don’t what?”

“I don’t love ladies.”

When those words come out of the scarred’s mouth, Sanji gasps, earning a smirk.

“Yes, Curly. I’m gay. Homosexual. Swinging the other way”, he chuckles. “Are we non-existent in your shitty scientific country? ‘Cause I know plenty here.”

The prince is speechless. He stands in the middle of the walls, forgetting the loud music surrounding him. Stuttering becomes the only way he can speak at all, making Zoro smile, again.

“Don’t panic. I won’t assault you or anything. I don’t like  _ hets _ ”, he points at the blonde’s neck, a trace of lipstick still visible.

Sanji immediately jumps, startled, covering his neck. His breathing becomes uneasy and his eyes close for a moment, then open, a scared look that makes Zoro’s expression go blank.

“Hey, hey, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

He approaches the prince slowly, as if it was a small, defenceless animal. Sanji backs off, hesitant, but doesn’t run away. Only when they’re a few inches away, he gasps, his lips trembling. With two calloused fingers, Zoro delicately grips his red shirt and aparts the collar a bit. Their breathings are almost one and the same; the music and the people seem to disappear as the swordsman finds out that he’s not the only one that bears a big scar.

Suddenly, the prince jumps back and wears a huge smile, getting out of the small space they were in and running backwards, happy, as if nothing had happened.

“C’mon”, he says, “I want to ride that ship thing.”

Sanji is pointing at the Oro Jackson ride, the funniest of them all: a large ship with two little jails attached to the sides, for the intrepid ones to hold on. The pirate ship-like attraction swings in the air back and forth wildly; doesn't seem very sure, in the first place. But Zoro has ridden it countless times. It was his favorite when he was a kid. He always feels butterflies in his stomach whenever he hoops in.

That might not be the reason why he's feeling them right now, though.

"Curly, wait, what's wrong? Gosh, what's wrong with you?"

"I just want to jump in this ride, but I don't know how!", Sanji runs around chaotically.

"You have to fucking get in the line, you dumbass. What, you've never been in a fair? Ugh…"

"But the line is too long! Can't you get us in? I mean, you're a Royal Guard and…", his steps are short and unsteady, almost tripping when he walks onwards and backwards, swinging just like the ship, blabbing while he gets in the line. It's as if he's running away from something.

And then.

_ Squeak _ .

"Pfft- can you be more pathetic?", Zoro chuckles, getting in the line as well. A little boy standing in front of them also giggles at the sight of Sanji.

"What are you laughing at, you idiot?", the prince whines, kicking the swordman's ass.

_ Squeak _ .

Sanji lowers his eyes and finds out that his foot is stuck in a Doflamingo-themed slipper. He puts a hand on his heart dramatically, making the boy beside him laugh.

"This is embarrassing as an aristocrat! As a human being!", he turns around to face the little kid, pouting at him. "Don't you think?"

Zoro looks at the scene in awe, forgetting for a moment what happened earlier. He keeps glaring at Sanji when he sticks out his tongue to the boy and nods politely to his mother. When he walks like a penguin and the slipper squeaks, and he just chuckles in the cutest way possible, pretending that nothing happened. He pays for the two of them and jumps in the ship, his hands vibrating excitedly, as if he were a child trapped in the body of a (hot) prince.

And, deep down, he wishes he had met him earlier.

The ship starts moving, chains squealing from being overused. It's certainly not safe for children, but what is in this world? The swinging seems to be the prelude for a catastrophe; like the ship is going to fall over and kill a bunch of people in the process.

Nevertheless, Sanji seems the happiest he's ever been. He clings onto the jail bars as the very first swings take place, and then rolls up in the air, his feet leaving the ground, making impossible positions and laughing out loud. Zoro just stares at him, heart-eyed; dizzy, but not because of the absence of gravity, but due to the sight.

The ride ends and Zoro is still staring at that sight. Blue eyes, blonde hair, pale skin. It's his type. But it's not only that. It's something he would protect. Something he really cares for, although he's only known him for a few days.

He remembers the scar.

"Follow me."

Sanji is disoriented while Zoro guides him throughout the fair. They pass through the famous  _ drinking zone _ , where loads of teenagers try to greet the Royal Guard like he's some sort of famous person. He doesn't stop, he doesn't wave back when someone says hi. The swordsman walks steadily, as if he hadn't been on an  _ air ship _ or if he hadn't drunk a fair amount of wine.

They hold hands through the dark. They walk for minutes -hell, for half an hour-, not a word coming out of their mouths. And then, they arrive.

It's the sunflower field.

The biggest cities of the country of Dressrosa can be seen at the top of that beautiful place. Breathless, Sanji gets on his tippy toes, mouth open wide while contemplating the incredible buildings that lie beneath him. The vast world that he's yet to experience. The trips he'd like to make.

"Curly."

"The name's Sanji."

"Sanji", Zoro calls him. It sounds just right. The name his father gave him sounds good for the first time since his mother died.

The swordsman approaches him. He gets closer and closer with each step. He smells like iron and sweat; but it's not a bad scent, it's an arousing one. Manly.

Deep down, Sanji has always known.

"Zoro", the prince calls him, his voice cracking from nervousness.

The swordsman takes a step closer. They're so near they can hear each other's breath. Zoro grips the collar of his shirt again, their heartbeats rising.

"I'm sorry", Sanji whispers.

"For what?", Zoro whispers, too.

"You should've been the one kissing me",  Sanji suddenly hugs him.  "We've met earlier, haven't we?", he asks.

"I think so."

They hold onto each other, their hearts feeling like they're right beside each other.

"I waited for you for so long", Zoro breathes. "Ever since that time."

"At the beach."

"When we met."

At some point, they duck, they crouch while hugging each other, they lie on the ground, the sunflowers standing taller than them.

Zoro starts to unbutton Sanji's shirt carefully. When the blonde flinches, he rises and looks at him right in the eyes. They stay like that, silent, for a long time, and then the swordsman gets back to his work again.

He kisses the prince's neck.

"Are you drunk?", Zoro asks, straddling him.

"Not now", Sanji admits. "I am used to drinking. I drink a lot at home. I need to get away from my family", but he's nervous.

"Turn around", Zoro whispers, almost too low to be heard.

The prince does as he says, and his back is now facing the swordsman. His scars, too.

He feels Zoro's face grounding on his back. "You look beautiful."

"You're lying."

The scarred kissed Sanji's scars.

"I'm not lying", he forces the prince to turn around again, and, when they're face to face, Sanji's fingers caress Zoro's eye scar.

"What happened?"

It takes a while for him to answer.

"I loved my mum. Someone tried to molest her. I stopped him. I was five. He took my eye."

It's an incomplete story. However, it feels like it doesn't need more explaining.

Sanji nods and talks, too. "You also look beautiful."

Zoro leans, their lips almost touching.

It's a full moon.

They kiss for the first time.

It's not beautiful, though. It's needy and sloppy, like they've been waiting for it their entire lifetime.

"I pretend I don't have feelings so that they can't hurt me anymore", the Vinsmoke admits that he is no longer a Vinsmoke; that he's never felt a Vinsmoke, after all.

"You can be yourself with me", Zoro admits, his hands holding Sanji's face like it's some sort of treasure. "I would never hurt you. Trust me."

His eyes are trustworthy.

"I would never hurt you, either."

"I know."

Zoro takes his time to remove Sanji's shirt. He kisses every scar, licks every burn, traces every mark with his calloused finger, wishing it was as soft as his partner's skin.

The prince is lying, his back facing Zoro, again, while the swordsman massages him. His breath makes his skin tingle. He allows himself to be defenceless against Zoro's skillful doings.

"I'm sorry for scaring you earlier."

Sanji hisses sleepily, too comfortable to give a proper answer. He's never felt that  _ cared for _ .

At the top of the flower hill, the whole country of Dressrosa shines upon the moonlight. It looks like a dreamland; its buildings rising amongst the green land in the most breathtaking way Sanji has ever seen. The bells of the Church of Sevio ring twelve times.

It's midnight.

* * *

**April 19th, 1522.**

It takes a while for Sanji to notice that the pressure behind his lower back is gone. He rises, turning around to find Zoro standing up, his shirt stuck in his head in the cutest way. He giggles.

"Don't laugh", the swordsman's voice is raspy. He gets on his knees, visibly annoyed. "Fuck."

"Let me help you out", a smiling Sanji unbuttons his shirt carefully. "Dressrosa's weather is great", he comments, trying to ignore the fact that the hottest being on Earth (or so it seems) is handing himself over to him completely. "It's so hot we could be naked here, at night, without any problem."

"Uh-huh", Zoro nods absentmindedly, his tongue tasting the prince's skin. "Pretty intelligent way to tell me you wanna see my dick, huh?", he bends over to unbutton the blonde's tight pants, all while placing sweet pecks on his neck. "I'm better than any girl."

"Oh, yeah?", Sanji laughs. "I'd love to see you try."

Zoro takes his time, massaging the prince's skin with surprisingly soft hands. Sanji takes the swordsman's head on his hands, showing a caring smile. With his thumb, he caresses his eye scar, again, and then his fingers travel around his muscles, touching the innumerable scars that lie within.

His voice comes out raspy, so low it's even difficult to hear. "I wish things were different."

"Huh?", Zoro asks.

"I wish we didn't have to bear so much pain."

"Well, yeah, that's what life is."

"Don't you wish you could be happy just for a second?", Sanji sighs.

"I'm happy right now."

They stay silent for a little while, staring at each other's eyes.

"Stay", is the only thing Zoro says.

"What?"

"Stay here with me. Leave those Vinsmoke fuckers. Stay here."

"Oh, yeah?", Sanji scoffs. "How are you different from me? You're trapped here, in a corrupt country, serving a disgusting master and doing unfair things. Just like me."

"I know that. But we can change things", the scarred grits his teeth. "Stay."

"I can't."

"Please. I'll kill Mingo. I'll do whatever. Just… Stay."

Zoro buries his head in the prince's shoulder, the word  _ stay  _ leaving his lips every once in a while, softly.

"I just feel like something's not right", Sanji says. "Maybe… Maybe everything could go right in another life. Maybe you and I could be together. Travel the world. Maybe we've chosen the wrong storyline, don't you think?"

He expects an intelligent answer, or at least some words of reasonment, other than  _ stay _ . But Zoro's voice quickly turns into a snore, his chest going up and down, pressing the prince's own, weighing much less than he had expected.

Sanji looks at the man above him and chuckles. He embraces the swordsman and looks at the stars. He's always grateful for them; there was a time when he couldn't see them. He's free now.

Maybe he'll think about Zoro's proposition tomorrow. He definitely needs to fight his family.  _ But that's for another story _ , he whispers for himself.  


His fingers run through green hair. He smells, smiles, closes his eyes and wishes on the stars.

His desires used to be impossible. However, holding that strong swordsman in his arms, he realizes that it isn't over.

Their story has just started.

**Author's Note:**

> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/zsz_meri) | [CuriousCat](https://curiouscat.qa/zsz_meri)


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